Lessons
by Dutch FF-lover
Summary: Harry Potter Crossover, a young witch only wants to do some good to the world.


Lessons

_A/N There is always room for an Enchantress story (cause there aren't many) and this is another one. It's a crossover, I hope you enjoy it._

_Short Summary: A young girl with a strong sense of justice does what she believes is right. _

_Disclaimer: I don't own Beauty and the Beast and I don't own anything I stole from the Harry Potter books._

It was the day after Christmas, 1755. The day was ending. All the students who had remained at school during the holiday break were back in their common rooms and the teachers were in their own private rooms of the castle. One 16-year old witch, a girl with long blonde hair, was still sitting in the library, curled up in front of the fire with a book. She was totally unware of the rest of the world, til all of a sudden the head of an old woman appeared in the fireplace. "Alexia?" the head said. "I want to talk to you, in my office, now."

The girl stood up from the couch and nodded. "Oui, Madame. I'll be with you in a moment." The head in the fire disappeared. Alexia sighed. This didn't look good. She quickly placed the book back on the right shelf and left the library.

She climbed the stairs to the tower where the headmistress of Beauxbatons had her office. Alexia shivered, not out of fear of the punishment that was no doubt awaiting her, but more because it was December and the uniform made of blue silk didn't protect a girl against the cold weather. Alexia looked down at her dress and took out her wand, (ten inches, mahogany, dragon's blood, very useful for Transfiguration) and with one wave, all the wrinkles were gone. Silk was beautiful to wear, but you spent half the day getting all those creases out. Alexia took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Yes," a feminine voice said.

Alexia opened the door. "You wanted to see me, Madame Manitz?"

The old woman with perfectly combed gray hair took off her glasses and nodded. "Yes, Alexia, sit down." The young girl did what she was told without saying anything. The headmistress looked at the student with some sympathy, a little annoyance and a lot of impatience. She waited a few seconds before she spoke, thinking of the best way to start the conversation. "Do you want to tell me what happened last night, Alexia?"

The girl shrugged. "Nothing really. Christmas dinner; after that I went to the library to read."

The headmistress frowned. This girl was going to be as stubborn as usual. "I got an owl a few hours ago. It's about you and an incident at a castle near your hometown."

Alexia looked straight at the old woman and said with indifference, "I did what was right."

"What happened exactly?"

Alexia crossed her arms and turned her head away, determined not to say a thing. She knew she had done what was best. She followed her conscience; to her it was clear, but somehow, other people never really understood her passion for justice and her feelings about what was the right thing to do.

Another sigh. The old headmistress stood up from her chair and went over to a large wooden cabinet. She took out a stone basin engraved with runes and symbols, a Pensieve. "You know I hate to do this," the woman said. "But please put your memories of last night in here." The girl kept staring at the ceiling. "Alexia!" Madame Manitz said impatiently. "If you don't want to tell me yourself what happened, this is the only way to prevent me from expelling you this minute!"

Alexia rolled her eyes. "Why don't you believe me when I say I did what was right?" she replied defensively, but she did take out her wand. She placed it against her temple, against the roots of her long blonde hair. When she withdrew it a silvery substance was attached to it, which fell into the Pensieve.

"Thank you," the headmistress said with faked gratitude. "Shall we take a look?"

"If we must."

The two women placed their wands into the liquid substance in the stone bassin. The surface began to spin immediately. Suddenly it stopped and there was an image of a large castle.

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It was a dark and gloomy night. It was snowing heavily; it was no wonder there was absolutely no one outside. All the people were in warm homes or they had sought shelter before the weather got bad.

On the road that led to the huge castle was was a small figure. It was an old beggar woman, not walking, but more shuffling. If anyone was on the streets they would have turned their heads away. The old woman wasn't the example of utter beauty. Slowly she climbed the stairs to the heavy castle doors and knocked three times.

A chubby man opened the door and looked down. He saw the bent old woman, leaning on her stick. "Yes, what is it?"

The voice of the old woman was almost as ugly as she was herself. It sounded like the "caw" of a crow. "I want to see your master. I wish to speak to him."

The butler shook his head. "I'm sorry, madame, but we can't allow that. He's busy. Is there something I can do for you?" He was surprised that someone wanted to see the prince. He had thought the entire nation was aware of the foul temper the prince could have. And he was even more amazed that someone dared to ask it on Christmas evening, at this late hour.

"No, I only want to speak to the young prince, I won't leave without having spoken to him," the old woman said more decisively.

"I'm sorry, but I just can't let that happen," the butler said. He started to close the door, when the old woman quickly stuck her stick between the door. "Please, madame, you have to leave."

A young woman and a young man also came to the door. They were walking hand in hand, when they saw some commotion at the door. "Who is it, Cogsworth?

"Lumière!" the butler exclaimed when he saw the valet. He was still trying to close the door. "This woman wants to speak to the prince!"

"And…"

"He's busy! We are busy! It's almost dinnertime!"

"Cogsworth, mon ami, let her in! It is Christmas, a time for being compassionate," the valet said, rolling his eyes. This was very inconsiderate! Hospitality was one of the greatest virtues, especially at this time a year. With the frigid weather outside, Lumière didn't want to be outside himself.

"And being passionate," the girl behind him giggled. She had had a little too much eggnog already.

The butler shook his head again. "I can't allow it," he said as he tried to get rid of the stick between the door.

An older lady joined the group. "Good evening, gentlemen, Babette, what is going on?"

The three people began to speak at the same time. "Mrs. Potts, this woman wants…" "Cogsworth is being his usual…" "an old woman wants…"

"WHAT IS THIS NOISE?" a voice shouted through the entire hall, followed by an immediate silence from the servants, who turned around and bowed really quickly when they saw who was coming down the stairs.

"My apologies, your highness," the butler said, still in a polite bow. "But this woman wanted to see you, and I told her you were too busy, and after that she didn't want to leave and these two youngsters…"

"Shut up, Cogsworth!" the prince snapped. Then he saw the woman standing in the doorway. Beggars at the front door? The nerve! "You! Old woman, what do you want?"

The old woman bowed too, although one would only see it if one looked closely. "Excusez-moi for my visit this late hour, dear prince, but I want a place to stay for the night. The weather outside is terrible!"

"I know," the prince shrugged. "That's why sane people stay inside."

The beggar woman apologized again, although there was absolutely no need. "I'm sorry, your highness, it began to snow before I was able to seek shelter. I'm asking very humbly for your help."

"Come into the light," the young noble ordered. He wished he hadn't when he saw the beggar. He shuddered. "My God, you're ugly!"

Suddenly the eyes of the woman started to sparkle, and her voice became less shaky. She looked the prince in the eye. "Do not be deceived by appearances, my prince, for beauty is found within," she said with a serious voice.

The prince didn't notice the changes and snickered. _Right, inside matters, outside doesn't. Why am I wasting my time on this stupid old woman! _"What are you going to pay me for my time and hospitality, woman?"

The woman took out a beautiful red rose out of her tattered dress. "All I have to offer is this, your highness, small but beautiful," she said with a smile. She gently touched the rose petals. The rose was such a contrast with this gray and dark world.

"A mere rose??? You must be crazy!" The prince got angry. The nerve this old woman had to think that a rose was enough! He starting laughing viciously. He waved his hand and beckoned the two male servants to come closer. "Lumière, Cogsworth, throw her out. I've got better things to do to listen to old hags who distribute flowers in the middle of the night! I want to have my dinner, now!" The young man turned, about to leave.

"Not so fast, my prince," the old woman said before the prince could leave the hall. She reached into her pocket and took out a wand. With just a simple flick Alexia turned back into her own self. All of a sudden the sky was all clear, the moon shone brightly on the group of people. A thousand stars were shimmering in the firmament. Alexia was now wearing a gorgeous green dress right out of a fairytale and a lot of sparks flying around her head.

The people in the hall couldn't believe their eyes. What in the world was going on here? With another simple levitation spell Alexia flew high above the group. "I came here with hope you would prove me wrong, young prince."

The prince fell on his knees, with his nose almost touching the ground, too afraid to look at the woman. "Wrong, your greatness, how?" he stuttered in fear.

"I hoped that I was wrong," Alexia said with a voice filled with disappointment and anger. "I hoped you were capable of showing compassion to an old woman in need, but I was wrong…"

"Please, I beg for your forgiveness. Please be merciful!"

"You must learn to be compassionate, to show love for people other then yourself. Therefore…" Alexia took her wand once more, and without hesitation she muttered a spell. "I have to do this…"

In just a few seconds, the hands of the prince changed into claws, his smooth face WAS covered with hair, and his perfect white teeth grew into a pair of fangs.

"MY GOD!! What is happening?" the prince cried. He saw his hands changing before his eyes. It was a terrifying picture. Within seconds the young man was transformed into a hideous beast.

Alexia didn't say anything. Without regret, but filled with determination that it was the right thing, she looked at what she had just done.

The servants in the room began to change too, although they didn't change completely. Slowly but inevitably they would turn into household objects, enchanted, but still objects. "What is this magic?" the butler shouted, when he noticed his feet turned into wood.

"This spell effects all people in this castle," Alexia said. She was a little surprised. Apparently her spell had been stronger than she had in mind, but she understood why it had happened.

"How can you do this to us? Why us?" the butler yelled. "We didn't do anything!"

"You people close around him are as guilty as he; with help from you he turned into what he is. But I'm not heartless. I'll give you a chance to change back into your normal human forms."

Alexia waved her wand and let the rose levitate above a small table. She looked at the creature, who once had been a beautiful man. "Look at this rose. It's a magic one. It will bloom for many years. If you can learn to love another and earn her love in return before the last petal falls, the spell will be broken." With that she disappeared and left all the people that lived in the castle behind, desperate.

"I think I have seen enough, Alexia," the headmistress said. She took the hand of the young blonde student next to her and with a swirl they went back to her own warm office.

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The headmistress took her wand out of the Pensieve and sighed. "Alexia, this is the third time this year! I thought we had sorted out that you shouldn't do these things anymore!" She sat down in her chair behind her desk again. "What did I tell last time, when you turned that prince into a frog?"

Alexia followed her example and sat down too. "The magical community is not responsible for the acts of muggles, therefore it's not our place to make changes," she recited her headmistress in one breath.

"That is correct. Now tell me, what did this prince do that was so bad?"

"I went to my parents' house last week in Rouen. When I was there, I saw this prince-guy almost ride over an old woman! Without even going back to apologize or see if she was all right!" Alexia began indignantly. "Later, he shot with his rifle at a mother rabbit with two babies! While they were still in their burrow! And just for fun, just to scare them!"

The gray woman started to rub her temples. She understood the girl in front of her, but this wasn't the accepted way to deal with muggles. "I admit that doesn't make him a nice person, Alexia, but this was a severe punishment."

"I wasn't finished," Alexia said a little annoyed. "After that, I took my invisibility cloak and went over to that castle. And there he was, the spoilt brat!" She got more agitated with each word. "He was ordering everyone and everything. In Rouen there are so many poor people and beggars, he should take care of them instead of feeding his own dinner to the dogs!"

She couldn't sit down anymore and started pacing. She still didn't understand how a man could be so selfish. If you are able to help another person, you should do so, without hesitation! "I had to do something! I want him to show some compassion, some love for the outside world!" Alexia turned to the woman behind the desk. "I know you told me we aren't allowed to change or punish muggles, so I didn't do it. But it kept bugging me!"

"If you knew it was wrong, why did you do it? And why last night?" The headmistress couldn't hide her surprise.

Alexia ran her hand through her hair and sat down again. "I went over there after dinner to see if he was acting any kinder, being that it was Christmas."

"And?" the old woman asked her curiously.

"Nothing! He didn't care for what he got for Christmas, he just wanted more, it was never good enough. He didn't even look at some presents. He was being rude to the other guests." Alexia got distressed again. "I couldn't take it anymore. It was a cold and stormy night, so I transformed into an old beggar woman, the perfect disguise to see what he would do."

The headmistress was silent for a moment. It was the same story as always. When would she learn not to intervene? "Alexia, I know you wanted to do the right thing, but you can't do this anymore."

"Do I have to turn my spell back?" Alexia asked a bit aggressively. There was no way she was going to do that! That prince got what he deserved!

"No, let it be. I agree with your actions, to be honest. But please, promise you won't do it anymore in the future, and if you feel you have to make some changes, come to me and I'll see what we can do." The woman put on her glasses again and took a piece of paper off the pile on her desk. "You are a very talented witch, that spell was an excellent example of Transfiguration on both you and the prince. I don't want to expel you."

The blonde student sighed on the inside. This had been a close one. She really would have to be more careful in the future. "Thank you, Madame Manitz."

The headmistress took a feather out of the inkwell, placed it down on the paper and started to write. "However, I will write a note to your parents and you will get detention. The entire month of January and February, you will tutor other students, mostly first- and second years."

Alexia stood up from her chair and walked to the door. Tutoring wasn't that bad for detention, but it would take a lot of time.

"Oh and one more thing, Alexia," the headmistress said before Alexia left the room. She looked at the girl. "When you are going 'help' a muggle in the future, because I'm sure you will, try to be a little less melodramatic. Those sparks weren't necessary."

"I will," Alexia said smiling. She couldn't help feeling a little glimpse of pride. She had pulled it off again!


End file.
